Resolution for Annual Progress Reports on Access to Excellence Strategic Plan Through 2018

AS-3178-14/EX

RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate of the California State University (ASCSU) urge the Board of Trustees (BOT) to request annual reports assessing progress toward achieving each of the eight goals/commitments delineated in the Access to Excellence1 strategic plan for the CSU; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the ASCSU recommend that the annual reports utilize an appropriate and limited number of performance quality indicators for each of the eight strategic plan goals/commitments, drawing from among the indicators adopted by the BOT in the Accountability Plan2 and metrics3 in Appendix 2; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the ASCSU request that faculty be involved in identifying the performance quality indicators for each of the eight strategic plans goals/commitments; be it further

RESOLVED: That the ASCSU distribute this resolution to the CSU Board of Trustees, campus presidents, and campus senate chairs.

RATIONALE: In 2008, the BOT adopted a ten-year strategic plan, Access to Excellence. The plan was developed with broad consultation, as recognized by the ASCSU 4,5,6 and it set forth eight broad strategic goals/commitments that would be the basis for setting priorities and measuring success over the next decade: (1) reduce existing achievement gaps; (2) plan for faculty turnover and invest in faculty excellence; (3) plan for staff and administrative succession and professional growth; (4) improve accountability for learning results; (5) expand student outreach; (6) enhance student opportunities for “active learning;” (7) enhance opportunities for global awareness; and (8) act on CSU’s responsibility to meet post-baccalaureate needs, including those of working professionals.
The BOT also adopted an Accountability Plan2 to assess progress toward these goals, including a menu of measurable indicators3. To date, evidence of progress toward the eight goals using the possible indicators recommended by the BOT has yet to be compiled.

The ASCSU shares the BOT’s commitment to accountability and empirical evidence.7,8,9Chancellor White also recognized the need to expand data-based decision-making in his inaugural State of the CSU address10.
Given that the half-way point of the strategic plan has passed, an annual assessment of progress toward achieving the goals established by the Board—using the metrics adopted by the Board—will provide evidence of whether or not the BOT’s strategic goals are on track to be achieved. If the trajectory is not in line with attainment of goals, then additional interventions can be identified and implemented.

The Accountability Plan appropriately calls for a limited number of indicators. The ASCSU requests that faculty be involved in identifying an appropriate number of indicators that can be used to assess system-wide progress to achieving the goals of the Access to Excellence plan.

Given that this process requires consultation and coordination across 23 diverse campuses, the ASCSU recommends that the specific indicators for each of the eight goals be reported to the BOT in January 2015 and that institution- and system-level progress data be reported in May 2015, May 2016, May 2017, and May 2018.